Blackout hits Philippine

Blackout hits Philippine

MANILA (AFP): A massive power outage hit the densely-populated
northern Philippine island of Luzon Saturday, including
Metropolitan Manila.

Electricity was disrupted at 3:30 am (1930 GMT) following a
technical fault at a power plant in Laguna, south of Manila, a
spokesman from the state-run National Power Corporation (Napocor)
said.

However, more than six hours later power was restored to about
50 percent of the system, Napocor spokeswoman Josephine Mangila
said.

Len Nasario of the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the
country's main power distributor, said it would take several more
hours or until about 0600 GMT before power would be fully
restored.

Among the areas up and running again are districts in the
heart of Manila and the capital's international airport.